The Morning Line: When Palin Populates the Funnies

By
Michael Cavna

"Doonesbury." "Candorville." "Prickly City." Even "Get Fuzzy."

The Sarah Palin phenomenon has escalated to Category 5 so quickly -- not just politically, but comedically (witness Tina Fey's "Saturday Night Live" take over the weekend) -- that the candidate even seems to dominate the funnies some days. And why not? Cartoonists are smart enough to follow the cultural heat.

But then, these are strips we expect to be topical. What would happen should Palintology spread throughout the comics? Imagine the tongue-in-cheek possibilities:

1. CUL DE SAC: Upon discovering Palin is a long-lost aunt, Petey moves to Alaska for the winter, only to fear rogue caribou day and night. He stares at the Northern Lights and contemplates why Palin insists on calling him "Rig."

2. MARK TRAIL: Cherry Trail gets wildly jealous after Mark and Sarah Palin team up to fight Big Oil. Ever the conservationist, though, Mark leaves Juneau disillusioned when Sarah bags more than the limit of moose.

3. OPUS: Speaking of fish and game, Palin offers a tax credit to whoever can bag the not-so-mythical Basselope. Opus mulls retiring to a life of herring and North Slope snugglebunnies. Big Oil suddenly puts Steve Dallas on retainer.

4. SALLY FORTH: In his endless quest for a friend, Ted invites Todd Palin over for red wine and "Battlestar Galactica." Todd says "thanks but no thanks" to Ted's friendship.

We turn the funny pages over to you: What comics would you have Sarah Palin -- or any of the other candidates -- visit between now and Election Day?

Did anyone catch Andy Samberg's imitation of "Cathy" during SNL's Weekend Update? She's highly lampoon-able but I think he missed the mark here. He overplayed it and his voice was far too screechy. But it brings up a question: What should Cathy sound like?